1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to writing instruments, specifically to wide line and fine line pens.
2. Field of Prior Art
Recently wide-line pens have become popular. Usually these have a felt tip for writing a wide to broad line, usually from 2 to 5 mm. When such pens are filled with a light ink, such as yellow or light green, they can be used to write over selected typed or printed words in a document or printed material in order to emphasize or highlight such words without obscuring them. In this case such pens are known as "highlighters".
Frequently writers, students, researchers and others need to use a highlighter and a fine-line pen alternately, e.g. to mark important passages in a document and make notes in a notebook in an alternate manner. One problem with using two different pens is that this means putting down the highlighter, then picking up a ballpoint pen, underlining, then putting down the pen and picking up the highlighter and proceeding to highlight until the next stronger emphasis needs to be done, then once again putting down the highlighter and taking up the ballpoint pen again etc.
When many papers are to be done, this process is both time consuming and frustrating. This problem cannot be overcome by using a highlighter in one hand and a pen in the other because both hands are not trained to use a pen or marker Also if the notebook page is conveniently placed for only one hand, it would have to be moved to a different position for the other hand. Another problem is that when a user finds it desirable to further emphasize words that have already been highlighted, the line drawn under the word is frequently untidy and also not parallel. Sometimes these two lines lack proper spacing.
Further problems exist where people desire to use three pens, such as a highlighter, a black pen, and a red pen The purpose of the red pen is to further emphasize the most important parts. Using three single pens entails very frequent putting down and picking up, and is most inconvenient.
Alternatively one could use one pen having multiple inserts, together with a highlighter, but again much time is lost in thumbing down the correct color, so that this is hardly better than using three separate pens.
Whatever combination of pens is used, the result is a constant putting down and picking up process. Also multiple-point pens alone are not the answer as the accepted practice is to highlight words and phrases and it is still awkward to withdraw one point and then push out the other, an inconvenient, slow and interruptive operation.
Markers and fineline pens have been combined in one housing, with the marker at one end and a fineline pen at the other. However it is not convenient to turn the instrument over to switch pens. Also two caps are required; these can be lost and it is inconvenient to recap a single pen twice.